Copyright Lawyers for Boston, Massachusetts
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Patrick N.
Before attending law school, I had a prior career in business performance reporting. This experience differentiates me from other attorneys. I can readily read, interpret, and synthesize financial reporting. I also have a passion for legal research and writing.
Nicholas M.
Nicholas Matlach is a cybersecurity expert (CISSP) and an attorney who is dedicated to helping small businesses succeed. He is a client-focused professional who has a deep understanding of the challenges that small businesses face in the digital age. He also provides legal counsel to small businesses on a variety of issues, including formation, intellectual property, contracts, and employment law.
"Enjoyed his demeanor. Professional yet down to earth. The document created for me was very explicit and easy to read. I would recommend :)"
Paul M.
Transactional attorney and corporate in house counsel for 15 years. Draft all types of contracts and employment agreements.
"Paul is prompt, professional, and knowledgable. I am happy with the prenuptial agreement I got and would be glad to work with him again."
Karl D. S.
Karl D. Shehu, has a multidisciplinary practice encompassing small business law, estate and legacy planning, real estate law, and litigation. Attorney Shehu has assisted families, physicians, professionals, and people of faith provide for their loved ones by crafting individualized estate and legacy plans. Protecting families and safeguarding families is his passion. Attorney Shehu routinely represents lenders, buyers, sellers, and businesses in real estate transactions, researching and resolving title defects, escrowing funds, and drafting lending documents. To date, Attorney Shehu has closed a real estate deal in every town in Connecticut. As a litigator, Attorney Shehu has proven willing to engage in contentious court battles to obtain results for his clients. While practicing at DLA Piper, LLP, in Boston, Attorney Shehu represented the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies in multidistrict litigations filed throughout the United States. He has been a passionate advocate for immigrants and the seriously injured, frequently advising against lowball settlement offers. He is willing to try every case to verdict, and he meticulously prepares every case for trial. Attorney Shehu began his legal career as a consumer lawyer, utilizing fee-shifting statutes to force unscrupulous businesses to pay the legal fees of aggrieved consumers. For example, in Access Therapies v. Mendoza, 1:13-cv-01317 (S.D. Ind. 2014), Attorney Shehu utilized unique interpretations of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Truth-in-Lending Act, and Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) to obtain a favorable result for his immigrant client. Attorney Shehu is a Waterbury, Connecticut native. He attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel grammar school, The Loomis Chaffee School, and Chase Collegiate School before earning degrees from Boston College, the University of Oxford’s Said Business School in England, and Pepperdine University School of Law. At Oxford, Karl was voted president of his class. Outside of his law practice, Attorney Shehu has worked to improve the world around him by participating in numerous charitable endeavors. He is a former candidate for the Connecticut Senate and a parishioner of St. Patrick Parish and Oratory in Waterbury. In addition, Attorney Shehu has written extensively on the Twenty-fifth Amendment and law firm retention by multinational firms.
January 23, 2023
Joseph M.
Joe provides premium legal services to both individuals and businesses throughout the Commonwealth. Experience litigating civil and criminal matters, as well as drafting/negotiation transactional issues involving contracts, real estate, business formation, estate planning and more. Prior to entering private law practice, Joe worked for two decades in financial industry including regulatory and compliance for both national and regional banks and investment firms.
May 23, 2023
Barbara M.
In 1991, Barbara Markessinis graduated cum laude from Albany Law School in Albany, New York. Shortly thereafter, Barbara was admitted to practice in New York State and in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. In 1997, Barbara was admitted to practice in Massachusetts and in April of 2009 she was admitted to the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. After graduating from law school, Barbara worked in private practice in the Albany, New York area and for Sneeringer, Monahan, Provost & Redgrave Title Agency, Inc. before joining the New York State Division for Youth and the New York State Attorney General's Real Property Bureau as a Senior Attorney. During her tenure with the Division for Youth, Attorney Markessinis found herself in Manhattan Family Court in front of Judge Judy! A career highlight for sure! After admission to the Massachusetts Bar, Barbara returned to private practice in the Berkshires and eventually started her own firm in June of 2006. Attorney Markessinis offers legal services in elder law, estate planning and administration/probate, family law, limited assistance representation (LAR), real estate and landlord tenant disputes. In 2016, after a family member found themselves in need of long term care, Attorney Markessinis’ launched her elder law practice. Through this experience, Attorney Markessinis discovered that the process of selecting a long term care facility and/or caregiver, applying for MassHealth and preserving an applicant’s assets are serious issues faced by many people every day. This area of the law is Barbara’s passion and she offers her legal services to families who find themselves in need of an elder law attorney. Attorney Markessinis is part of the Volunteer Legal Clinic in the Berkshire Probate & Family Court and has provided limited free legal services to patients and families at Moments House cancer support center in Pittsfield. She currently serves as a Hearing Committee Member for the MA Board of Bar Overseers and is a member of the Berkshire County and Massachusetts Bar Associations, Berkshire County Estate Planning Council (BCEPC). Attorney Markessinis is also the host of WUPE Talks Law. She also serves on the Town of Hancock Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board.
Paul P.
With more than twenty years of experience, Attorney Paul Petrillo has written contracts, business agreements, wills, trusts and the like. Licensed in both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Attorney Petrillo is regular user of remote and virtual communications and document exchanges, such as DocuSign, Adobe e-sign, as well as virtual meetings using Zoom and Webex, to make drafting contracts and communicating with clients quick and easy.
August 30, 2023
Massa M.
Highly disciplined attorney with over seven years administrative litigation experience. Capable of analyzing complex research, data, and documentation to prepare and represent individuals in sensitive cases. Recognized as a leader with the ability to perform work both autonomously and collaboratively as a member of a diverse legal team. Great problem-solving skills, strong multitasking capabilities and works well under strict deadlines. A professional with a sense of humor, strong work ethic and ability to build trust across all levels.
September 14, 2023
Rachel B.
I am a new attorney who is licensed to practice in Connecticut and Massachusetts. I am waiting for bar admission to North Carolina. I have over 20 year of experience working in both the public and private sectors. I am a fierce advocate for my clients and am committed to delivering solutions for clients with excellence.
October 1, 2023
Brittany B.
I am a tax attorney with years of experience as in house counsel at an accounting firm. I have also done tax litigation and audit representation. I work with for profits and non profits.
Drew M.
Drew Melville is a Florida and Massachusetts-licensed attorney with fourteen years' experience in real estate transactions, title insurance and land use. His practice includes all aspects of commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing, joint venture formation, leasing and land use approvals. Mr. Melville is a title agent for Old Republic National Title Insurance Company, First American Title Insurance Company, and Stewart Title Guaranty Company. Mr. Melville's practice is national in scope, and he brings a creative and solution-oriented approach to his clients' diverse array of real estate investment and development activities in all real estate asset classes. These often include urban infill, adaptive reuse, affordable and workforce housing, historic preservation, sustainable building, brownfield or gray-field redevelopment and opportunity zones. Prior to starting his own firm, he was an in house counsel for the real estate development subsidiary of a large, diversified land and agribusiness company. To date, Mr. Melville has closed over $1.2 billion in commercial real estate transactions.
October 20, 2023
Corey H.
Veritas Global Law, PLLC ("Veritas") is a law firm specializing in Life Sciences, Private Equity, M&A, technology transactions and general corporate law. Veritas frequently represents clients seeking cost a cost efficient, on-demand, general counsel in a variety of general corporate law matters, and a range of contracts including NDAs, MSAs, Software as a Service (Saas) agreements. Veritas also represents U.S. and non-U.S. private investment fund GPs and LPs across a broad range of activities with a particular emphasis on private equity, venture capital, secondary funds, distressed funds and funds of funds. Mr. Harris received his LL.M. from the University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law and served as an articles editor of the Berkeley Business Law Journal and was an active member of the Berkeley Center for Law Business and the Economy. Additionally, Mr. Harris also holds a J.D. from Boston College Law School, a M.B.A. from the Boston College Carroll School of Management, a B.A. from Hampton University in Political Science with a minor in Economics and Spanish and a certificate in financial valuation from the University of Oxford, Saïd Business School.
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Browse Lawyers NowCopyright Legal Questions and Answers
Copyright
Music License Agreement
Massachusetts
Can I use a licensed song for a YouTube video without facing copyright infringement issues?
I am a YouTuber and I recently came across a popular song that I would like to use as background music for one of my videos. I understand that the song is protected by copyright and would require a license for legal use. However, I am unsure about the specific terms and conditions of the license agreement and whether it would allow me to use the song in my YouTube video without facing any copyright infringement issues. I want to ensure that I am legally using the song and not infringing on any copyrights.
Randy M.
You can use a copyrighted song in your YouTube video legally if you’ve secured the correct type of license. Buying a song on iTunes or streaming it on Spotify doesn’t give you that right. Those purchases are only personal listening licenses and don’t extend to using the music in your own content. For YouTube, you need licenses that specifically cover synchronization with video and online distribution. Every song involves two separate copyrights. The first is the musical composition, which covers the melody, lyrics, and arrangement and is controlled by the music publisher. To pair the composition with visuals, you need a synchronization license. The second is the sound recording, also called the master, which is the specific recorded version owned by the record label. To use that track in your video, you need a master use license. For popular songs, that means negotiating two separate licenses with different parties. The process is often complicated, slow, and costly, which is why most YouTubers don’t license mainstream tracks directly. The more practical route is to use licensing platforms designed for creators. Services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, and Musicbed provide subscription-based access to music libraries. They’ve already secured both composition and master rights, and they typically whitelist your YouTube channel so Content ID doesn’t block or demonetize your videos. Another option is stock music libraries such as PremiumBeat or AudioJungle, where you can buy individual track licenses. In those cases, you must read the terms carefully to confirm that the license covers YouTube, monetization, worldwide distribution, and long-term use. A perpetual license is preferable so you don’t face takedowns years later. Even if you have a valid license, YouTube’s Content ID system may still detect the track. That doesn’t mean you’ve infringed copyright. It just means the system has matched the audio. When that happens, you can dispute the claim and provide proof of your license. Reputable licensing companies usually assist in clearing these disputes. If you don’t have the right license, however, Content ID claims can result in demonetization, muting, regional blocks, or DMCA takedowns that put your channel at risk. Cost is another factor. Licensing a mainstream hit directly from a label and publisher can cost thousands of dollars, depending on the song and how it’s used. In contrast, a subscription service like Epidemic Sound runs on a predictable monthly or yearly fee and covers all the legal rights you need for YouTube use. If your channel is monetized, it’s also important to confirm that the license allows commercial use. A personal or non-commercial license won’t protect you if you earn revenue from your videos. To stay compliant, keep a copy of every license you obtain. Make sure the license explicitly allows use on YouTube, permits monetization, applies worldwide, and lasts for the life of your video. If you’re working with a platform subscription, ensure your channel is properly linked so that Content ID claims are automatically released. If you want to use a well-known commercial track, you’ll likely need professional help negotiating directly with the rights holders. For most creators, using licensed music from platforms built for YouTube is the safer and more cost-effective approach.
Copyright
Copyright License Agreement
California
Can I use copyrighted material in my YouTube videos without violating the Copyright License Agreement?
I am a YouTuber and I frequently use copyrighted material in my videos, such as music, images, and clips from movies or TV shows. I am aware that these materials are protected by copyright laws, but I am unsure if my use of them in my videos would violate the Copyright License Agreement. I want to ensure that I am not infringing on any copyrights or facing any legal consequences for using copyrighted material in my content.
Randy M.
When you upload a video to YouTube, you're automatically agreeing to their Terms of Service and Copyright Policy. What that really means is this: you're saying you either own the rights to every part of your video or you've gotten permission to use it. There isn’t a separate “Copyright License Agreement” that gives you a pass to use copyrighted material freely. That includes music, movie clips, TV shows, sports highlights, and even images you found online. Just giving credit or adding a line like “no infringement intended” doesn’t offer any legal protection. Now, how does YouTube actually enforce all of this? It mainly comes down to two systems. The first is Content ID. That one’s automated. It scans your video against a big database of copyrighted material that rights holders have submitted. If there’s a match, you’ll get a Content ID claim. That’s not the same as a copyright strike, but it can still have consequences. The rights holder might choose to monetize your video, block it in some countries, or just track how it performs. A lot of creators run into this when they use popular music, and usually the result is that they lose monetization for that video. In some cases, the rights holder might go a step further and issue both a Content ID claim and a formal takedown. The second system is a DMCA takedown notice. That’s a legal process under U.S. copyright law, and it lets a rights holder demand that infringing content be removed. If that takedown is valid, your channel gets a copyright strike. One strike can block you from live streaming. If you get three strikes within 90 days, your channel and any linked accounts can be terminated. Strikes expire after 90 days if you go through YouTube’s Copyright School, but if you keep getting them, things can escalate fast. Now, fair use is where a lot of creators hope they’re protected. It’s a legal doctrine in the U.S., found in Section 107 of the Copyright Act. In short, it allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission, as long as the use meets certain criteria and is considered transformative. Courts look at four main factors: First, the purpose and character of the use. Second, the nature of the copyrighted work. Third, how much of it you used and how significant that portion was. And fourth, whether your use could harm the market for the original. For example, if you're reviewing a movie and include a few short clips with your own commentary, that’s much more likely to fall under fair use than posting a montage of fight scenes with no added value. Using factual material, like a short news segment in a critique, tends to be safer than copying a full song or film scene. But the truth is, fair use is case-specific. There’s no guaranteed rule like “10 seconds is okay.” Only a court can give a definitive answer. So what can you do? The safest route is always to license the content. Services like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, and Storyblocks let you use music and footage under a subscription license. For free material, YouTube’s Audio Library is a solid option. You can also look at public domain works. In the U.S., that currently includes anything published before 1929. That date moves up each January 1. Another option is Creative Commons content, but you’ll need to follow the terms of those licenses, which can include attribution or limits on commercial use. If you’re going to rely on fair use, make sure what you’re doing is truly transformative. That means adding something original, like commentary, criticism, or parody. Use only what’s necessary and avoid the most recognizable or valuable parts of the original. It’s important to understand that even if you’re confident your video qualifies as fair use, YouTube can still take it down if the rights holder files a takedown notice. Your option at that point is to dispute it, but that can come with risks, including potential legal action. If your channel is monetized, repeated claims or strikes can impact your income and the long-term future of your account. Because fair use is such a gray area and carries real consequences, it’s wise to talk to a copyright attorney if you plan to use third-party material often. The attorneys on Contracts Counsel would be happy to assist.
Copyright
Photography Usage Rights Agreement
California
Can a photographer include a clause in their license agreement that prohibits the client from editing or altering the photos?
I am a professional photographer and I often provide clients with a license agreement that outlines the terms of our working relationship. Recently, I had a client who edited one of my photos without my permission, resulting in a distorted and low-quality image that does not reflect my artistic vision. This incident made me wonder if it is possible to include a clause in my license agreement that explicitly prohibits clients from making any edits or alterations to the photos I provide them. I want to protect my artistic integrity and ensure that my work is not misrepresented or misused by others. Can I legally include such a clause in my photography license agreement?
Dolan W.
Hello! My wife does photography so I understand how frustrating this may be. The answer is yes; you can. Technically, you own the copyright and you are allowed to give copies to your clients. As a condition, you can state in your contract that alterations of any kind are prohibited or may require your approval first. We're happy to help take a look at the contract for you and add those terms! Best of luck! Dolan
Copyright
Content Licensing Agreement
California
What are the legal requirements and considerations for licensing internet content?
I am an aspiring content creator who has recently started producing and publishing original digital content, such as articles, videos, and photographs, on various online platforms. As I begin to gain traction and receive inquiries from individuals and companies interested in using my content, I want to ensure that I understand the legal requirements and considerations for licensing my internet content. I am particularly concerned about protecting my intellectual property rights, specifying permitted uses, and ensuring fair compensation for the use of my content, and I would appreciate guidance on the legal aspects of internet content licensing to navigate this new phase of my career.
Dolan W.
Hello1 Thanks for choosing contractscounsel.com. So first off, you automatically own the copyright to anything you create, but registering it with the U.S. Copyright Office gives you extra legal protection if someone misuses it. This is the difference between a "common law" copyright and an actual copyright that you can use against people in court! When licensing your content, think about the rules you want in place. Are you giving one person exclusive rights or letting multiple people use it? What’s allowed? Posting on social media, commercial use, etc.? Spell everything out clearly. Payment is an important consideration in terms of frequency and amount. A solid licensing agreement is your safety net. It should cover the scope of use, payment, attribution, and what happens if someone breaks the deal. Hiring a lawyer to help with this can save you headaches later. We can always draft licensing agreements for you as it's our specialty. Thanks again! Dolan
Copyright
Copyright Search
Arizona
Can I use a copyrighted image for a personal project?
I am a graphic designer and I came across a stunning image online that I would like to use for a personal project. However, I am unsure about the copyright implications of using this image without permission. I have tried conducting a copyright search to find information about the image's copyright holder, but I haven't been able to find any relevant details. Can I proceed with using the image for my personal project, or do I need to obtain permission from the copyright holder?
Connie M.
You usually need to get the permission of the owner of the photograph which is usually the photographer. Check the metadata or do a reverse image search to help you find the owner.
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I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.
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